Through the years, a virtually endless array of toys and amusement articles have been created to entertain and amuse children of varying ages. The utilization of projectiles, especially balls, discs or other aerodynamically shaped objects for throwing through the atmosphere, is quite well known. Ball games go back to antiquity in terms of being used for both recreation and exercising. Surface skimming projectiles, such as hockey pucks, have also been used for sporting events wherein the objective is to direct the projectile into a net.
Water sports have also employed balls as game projectiles for games such as volleyball, water polo or basketball wherein the participants pass the ball to each other through the air. The spherically shaped balls generally do not exhibit desirable characteristics for use along the surface of the water as a surface skipping projectile nor do they have any appreciable range when used in this manner.
Other aquatic toy devices have been specifically designed for recreational use in water or along the surface of the water. Such devices are typically intended to stay in contact with the water at the air-water interface or are designed to remain under the surface of the water. A representative example of an air-water interface type of aquatic device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,463,954 to Panse. The Panse patent shows a disc shaped device having a frusto-conical shaped lower surface specifically designed to remain in contact with the water surface without skipping or jumping. The device is manually propelled by throwing so as to smoothly skim along the surface at the air-water interface. Because this type of device remains in contact with the water, its effective range is relatively short. If used in choppy or rough water this type of device is likely to dig into the water and cause the device to tumble and/or stop abruptly.
A representative example of a device designed to stay under the surface of the water is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,570 to Thorne. The Thorne patent shows a disc shaped device having a symmetrically shaped top and bottom surface to minimize drag inducing lift effects as the device travels through the water. In operation, the device is thrown or pushed by hand to cause the disc to glide through the water and remain under the surface. The device can be used as a diving plane by scuba divers.
Aquatic recreational devices, as represented by the prior art generally utilize shapes that are not suited for skipping across the surface of water. The prior art is especially ineffective when the water surface is rough, choppy or contains waves such as that found along the coast line. In addition, the prior art devices are incapable of traveling more than short distances due to drag caused by contact with the water surface.
The prior art has also suggested toy devices which glide through the air in close proximity to a smooth surface. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,057,050 and 5,364,299 to Hill disclose Surface Skimming Toys having a generally planar base with a flat under surface. An upwardly extending fin is joined to the upper surface of the base member and one embodiment discloses an aesthetic body supported on the upper surface. The toy is launched in close proximity to a smooth extended surface and assumes a skimming travel in close spacing to the surface while being supported on a thin layer of air.
Another device which glides through the air in close proximity to a smooth surface is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,507,096 to Greenfield. Greenfield discloses a Ground Effect Toy in which an elongated generally rectangular member is inclined at an acute angle with a surface over which the toy may be thrown. Continuously adjacent along the longitudinal edges and pending downwardly therefrom are two side skirts preferably having an acute triangular shape. In its preferred form a dorsal fin is disposed near the trailing edge of the toy.
These prior art flying devices are only capable of maintaining the air cushion required to suspend the vehicle while traveling parallel and in close proximity to a smooth surface. The devices are generally incapable of maintaining the air cushion over rough surfaces such as those found in water especially around the coast line. The devices are also constructed of very light materials that would not allow these devices to maintain the energy required to skip off of a water surface and continue forward travel. Because these devices must remain in very close proximity to a smooth surface, they are incapable of being jumped or skipped off of waves and maintaining the air cushion or regenerating a new air cushion.
In addition, there remains a continuing need in the art for ever more improved and varied types of toys and amusement articles.